下载辰思小说免费APP
Anotablefeatureistheeveninggameofcardswhenlampsaresetforthupontheterrace，and’Iandmypamily’playfortobaccobythehour。ItishighlycharacteristicofTembinok’thathemustinventagameforhimself；highlycharacteristicofhisworshippinghouseholdthattheyshouldswearbytheabsurdinvention。Itisfoundedonpoker，playedwiththehonoursoutofmanypacks，andinconceivablydreary。ButIhaveapassionforallgames，studiedit，andamsupposedtobetheonlywhitewhoeverfairlygraspeditsprinciple：afactforwhichthewives(withwhomIwasnototherwisepopular)admiredmewithacclamation。Itwasimpossibletobedeceived；thiswasagenuinefeeling：theywereproudoftheirprivategame，hadbeencuttothequickbythewantofinterestshowninitbyothers，andexpandedundertheflatteryofmyattention。Tembinok’putsupadoublestake，andreceivesinreturntwohandstochoosefrom：ashallowartificewhichthewives(inalltheseyears)havenotyetfathomed。Hehimself，whentalkingwithmeprivately，madenottheleastsecretthathewassecureofwinning；anditwasthusheexplainedhisrecentliberalityonboardtheEQUATOR。Heletthewivesbuytheirowntobacco，whichpleasedthematthemoment。Hewonitbackatcards，whichmadehimoncemore，andwithoutfreshexpense，thatwhichheoughttobe，-thesolefountofallindulgences。Andhesummedthematterupinthatphrasewithwhichhealmostalwaysconcludesanyaccountofhispolicy：’Mo’betta。’
Thepalacecompoundislaidwithbrokencoral，excruciatingtotheeyesandthebarefeet，butexquisitelyrakedandweeded。Ascoreormoreofbuildingslieinasortofstreetalongthepalisadeandscatteredonthemarginoftheterrace；dwelling-housesforthewivesandtheattendants，storehousesfortheking’scuriosandtreasures，spaciousmaniap’sforfeastorcouncil，someonpillarsofwood，someonpiersofmasonry。Onewasstillinhand，anewinvention，theking’slatestborn：aEuropeanframe-housebuiltforcoolnessinsidealoftymaniap’：itsroofplankedlikeaship’sdecktobearaised，shady，andyetprivatepromenade。ItwasherethekingspenthourswithRubam；hereIwouldsometimesjointhem；theplacehadamostsingularappearance；andImustsayIwasgreatlytakenwiththefancy，andjoinedwithrelishinthecounselsofthearchitects。
Supposewehadbusinesswithhismajestybyday：westrolledoverthesandandbythedwarfishpalms，exchangeda’KONAMAORI’withthecroneonduty，andenteredthecompound。Thewidesheetofcoralglaredbeforeusdeserted；allhavingstowedthemselvesindarkcanvasfromtheexcessofroom。Ihavegonetoandfrointhatlabyrinthofaplace，seekingtheking；andtheonlybreathingcreatureIcouldfindwaswhenIpeeredundertheeavesofamaniap’，andsawthebrawnybodyofoneofthewivesstretchedonthefloor，anakedAmazonplungedinnoiselessslumber。Ifitwerestillthehourofthe’morningpapers’thequestwouldbemoreeasy，thehalf-dozenobsequious，slydogssquattingonthegroundoutsideahouse，crammedasfaraspossibleinitsnarrowshadow，andturningtothekingarowofleeringfaces。Tembinok’wouldbewithin，theflapsofthecabinraised，thetradeblowingthrough，hearingtheirreport。Likejournalistsnearerhome，whentheday’snewswerescanty，thesewouldmakethemoreofitinwords；andI
haveknownonetofillupabarrenmorningwithanimaginaryconversationoftwodogs。Sometimesthekingdeignstolaugh，sometimestoquestionorjestwiththem，hisvoicesoundingshrillyfromthecabin。Byhissidehemayhavetheheir-apparent，Paul，hisnephewandadoptedson，sixyearsold，starknaked，andamodelofyounghumanbeauty。Andtherewillalwaysbethefavouriteandperhapstwootherwivesawake；fourmorelyingsupineundermatsandwhelmedinslumber。Orperhapswecamelater，fellonamoreprivatehour，andfoundTembinok’retiredinthehousewiththefavourite，anearthenwarespittoon，aleadeninkpot，andacommercialledger。Inthelast，lyingonhisbelly，hewritesfromdaytodaytheuneventfulhistoryofhisreign；andwhenthusemployedhebetrayedatouchoffretfulnessoninterruptionwithwhichIwaswellabletosympathise。Theroyalannalistoncereadmeapageorso，translatingashewent；butthepassagebeinggenealogical，andtheauthorbogglingextremelyinhisversion，I
ownIhavebeensometimesbetterentertained。Nordoesheconfinehimselftoprose，buttouchesthelyre，too，inhisleisuremoments，andpassesforthechiefbardofhiskingdom，asheisitssolepubliccharacter，leadingarchitect，andonlymerchant。
Hiscompetence，however，doesnotreachtomusic
